Guest Post: Why Gaza Matters to Aotearoa, and What You Can Do

This letter was written by a Palestinian New Zealander who has good reason to use a pseudonym. Call him Goliath. Please share his message widely: there is so much that we can do, including those of us who might not stand on the front lines. Take the private, cumulative steps that every New Zealander can take. Our choices count, either as passive permission to continue or as effective pressure to end this nightmare.

LEST WE FORGET TO LEARN

I want to talk about something that I believe is incredibly important—not just for those involved, but for all of us: the situation in Gaza, and why it should matter to us here in New Zealand.

As a nation, we pride ourselves on fairness, on standing up for what’s right. We have taken a stand against apartheid, and against nuclear weapons.

We understand that silence in the face of injustice is complicity.

Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its broader military aggression are driving instability that reaches far beyond the Middle East. This is not just a regional issue; it’s a global one.

Here’s why you should care:

• It is the ethical and moral thing to do; plain and simple. Amnesty International investigation concludes Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
• Aotearoa is a small remote country, and we rely heavily on imported fuel and consumer goods.
• Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its push for wider war is fuelling global instability.
• Trade routes are under threat, making goods more expensive and travel more difficult.
• The economic impact is already raising food and fuel prices, worsening our cost-of-living crisis.
• Geopolitical tensions create financial instability, which in turn causes inflation, eventually pushing interest rates up. This could make our mortgages more expensive.
• Military escalation risks involving the USA and its allies directly, just as “our allies” dragged us to war in Afghanistan, in Iraq, Vietnam, and indeed WW1 before that. All this means that New Zealand could face pressure to support military interventions, risking the lives of young Kiwis in conflicts we did not create. LEST WE FORGET TO LEARN.

I know that we have urgent issues here at home that needs our attention, but living in such a way that contributes to sustaining Israel’s apartheid regime does nothing to solve our domestic problems. In other words, these are two separate issues.  

Silence is not neutrality; it’s complicity. And it will backfire on us. We do not need to “fix” anything overseas, we just need to stop funding oppression.

Here’s what we can [and should] do with almost zero inconvenience to ourselves:

• Boycott – download the No Thanks or Boycat app to make ethical shopping choices.
• Divest – check where your Kiwisaver is invested at Mindful Money and move to an ethical fund.
• Support local & second-hand businesses – Avoid companies profiting from apartheid.
• Learn about BDS – The Palestinian-led movement to hold Israel accountable through economic pressure.
• Stay informed – follow, engage and support PSNA, Justice for Palestine, Alternative Jewish Voices, and others on social media.
• Take political action – Sign petitions, write to MPs, and participate in demonstrations.
• Share this letter with as many people as you can.

We cannot continue to ignore the fact that our lifestyle and the choices we make every day—where we shop, where our investments go, our silence—contribute to maintaining a criminal and dangerous status quo.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your participation.

Arohanui.